Means for displaying alpha sign in the air



May 10, 1932. UDET 1,857,292

MEANS FOR DISPLAYING. A SIGN IN THE AIR Original Filed March 26, 1930,-I

INVENTOR v Ernsl Llde'l ATTORNEYS Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED STATESERNST USDET, or nnnnm-wxnmnnsnonr, enamels? MEANS son msrmxrnd Astonnf'rnn" I Original application filed March 26, 1930, Serial No. 438,983,and in Germany January 7, 1930. Divided and this application filedJanuary 25, 1932. Serial No. 588,691.

The invention is an improvement in or modification of the inventionclaimed in the application Ser. No. 279,087, filed May 19, 1928 and is adivision of the application Ser. No. 438,983, filed March 26, 1930.

According to the parent specification Ser. No. 279,087 advertisements orqther announcements are displayed by suspending from a motor-drivenaircraft a sheet or sheets hanging down substantially vertically duringthe flight of the aircraft, the sheet or sheets being attached along oneedge to a substantially vertical cable, which can be payed out andhauled in.

My present invention is concerned with the shape of sheets used in thisway. The sheet is in the form of a triangle having unequal sides, withthe base attached to the cable and the longer side at the top. The tipor apex of the triangle is preferably rounded. This shape has theadvantage that the sheet remains taut at all angles which the cablenormally assumes when diverging from the vertical position owing tochanges of speed of the aircraft, changes of length of the cable,diiferent loads on the cable and so on.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing, showing a towingaeroplane with sheets in the form of a triangle.

1 represents the aircraft, 2 the cable, and 3 a weight or loading at thelower end of the cable, the cable having attached thereto twotransparent sheets 4 of the shape described,

with visible designs 5 thereon. The base of each triangular sheet isattached to the cable, the longer side 11 being at the top and theshorter side 12 atthe bottom. The angle contained by the shorter side 12and the base, or the cable, indicated by an arrow line in the drawing,is preferably one of about 90 to 100. The tip 13 of the sheet isrounded.

The designs on the sheets may be code signs for use in signalling, e. g.military signalling, enabling an aerial observer to signal to his base.There may be on the aircraft a motor?" The transparent fabric 4 may besecured to,

the cable 2 in any suitable manner? One edge thereof is attached to thecable 2 throughoutthe edge length. The cable is hauled into the planefor the first time when the plane is still standing on the-ground andduring the hauling in step the fabric is retained behind the cable 2, sothat when the cable is payed out from the plane in flight the fabricsurface is instantly seized by the air current and stretched backwardstightly. When the cable is hauled in during flight the fabric surface iscaused in an entirely natural manner to lie behind the cable in a suitably folded position for the next hauling out operation.

I claim:

1. Means for'displaying a sign or signs in the air comprising amotor-driven aircraft, a cable carried by the said aircraft,

the said cablebeing adapted to be payed out and hauled in and carrying atransparent foldablefabric, the sign being arranged on the said fabricand contrasting with the air, and a loading provided on the free end ofthe cable, the fabric being adapted to be urifolded by the air currentwhen the cable is payed out from the aircraft and to be held taut in theair, thesheet of fabric carrying the sign having the shape of a scalenetriangle, the base of the triangle being attached to the cableand thelonger side of the triangle being at the top.

2. Means for displaying signs in the air comprising a motor-drivenaircraft, a cable carried by the said aircraft, the said cable bcingadapted to be payed out and hauled in and carrying at least onetransparent foldable fabric, the signs being arranged on the said fabriccontrasting with the air, and a loading rovided at the free end of thecable, the abric being adapted to be unfolded by the air current whenthe cable is payed out from the aircraft and to be held taut in the air,the sheet of fabric carrying the Signs havin the shape ofa scalenetriangle, the base 0? the triangle being attached to the cable, thelonger side of the triangle being at the top and the tip opposite thebase being rounded. v p

3. Means for displaying si s in the air of the character set forth in caim 1 wherein the angle of the fabric limited by the cable and the loweredge is greater than 90;

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ERNST UDET.

